


Nocturnalism

by thequeernessofsupers (CharlemagneGryffis)



Series: It's Only a Weeks Worth of Cat and Kara Craziness [8]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Man of Steel (2013), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, Supercat Week, Supercat Week: Creators Choice, Tumblr: supercatweek, batfam, batfamverse - Freeform, batkids, batman (ben affleck) - Freeform, supercat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 09:23:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7752103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CharlemagneGryffis/pseuds/thequeernessofsupers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Supercat Week: Day Eight - Creators Choice {Batfamverse cont.}, or you guys /really/ wanted a sequel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nocturnalism

‘Supergirl’ is a phenomenon, obviously, but also, quite obviously, is that she’s a little late to the game. Kara tries to ignore how they don’t connect the lack of two Batgirl’s, but it’s difficult when they’re treating her like a newbie. She’s been a superheroine for- for a decade, almost. Oh, she realises that Supergirl, in the eyes of those who _haven’t freaking realised she’s Batgirl even with a freaking BATMASK being part of her outfit_ , is a young, nubile hero, with no experience in being a superhero or saving the lives of those in peril, but it still stings.

Surprisingly though, it’s Cat who helps her.

Cat had originally branded her as Supergirl, which after nine-ish years as Batgirl didn’t sting as much as it might have otherwise, and had used her to boost _The Tribune_. Kara is delighted to find a friend in the woman, who she texts frequently, and even meets once or twice – _or maybe more than that_ – over the next week, going out to private restaurants and a gallery.

 _Anyway –_ Cat is the one to help her with becoming Supergirl, and a friend to National City. Kara learns that she has to earn their trust, and in a different way she earned Gotham City’s. In Gotham, as a Bat she appeared with Batman once or twice in front of Commissioner Gordon, and then again in front of the public, and it was all she needed to do. She could go out by herself on patrol, and act as Batman, sort of, when it came to introducing new members of the Batfam. Kara had been there with Nightwing – Dick’s new alias – and the new Robin – Jason – to face down the Riddler when Bruce was waylaid by cross-continental Wayne Enterprise business.

As Supergirl, Cat explains it’s different, after Kara uses the analogy of Batgirl. Supergirl is a superhero in her own right, not a second-in-command or colleague to an established superhero. And unlike Batgirl, Supergirl is a more public figure. Where Batgirl works in the shadows, Supergirl works in the sun.

Kara likes that sentence – so does Cat. She uses it in an article she writes about her soon after.

So Kara goes out as Supergirl and makes her presence known. She stops a bank robbery in broad daylight, helps an elderly couple get their car to a gas station when it breaks down, rescues kittens – and on one occasion, a boa constrictor by the name of _Fluffy_ – from trees. The benefits showed themselves pretty quickly and before she knows it, National City loves her.

The government, it turns out, not so much.

It’s only her long years as Batgirl that help Kara dodge the Kryptonite darts that fly through the air.

* * *

She faces her first true enemy around ten days after first catching Flight 237. Vartox lures her to a power-plant, and she defeats him, pinpointing the axe he wields as his weakness and getting it away from him long enough to disable him, dislocating his shoulders and kneecaps. But for once she doesn’t know what to do. Kara can’t hand him over to the police – he was an alien, an escapee from…

From Fort Rozz.

Which had apparently somehow left the Phantom Zone and crash-landed on Earth some years ago. To be exact – fifteen years ago, when Kara first arrived.

The trucks arrive soon after their fight ends. Kara had heard them coming, and decided to let them, noting that they weren’t civilian vehicles. Her dad had taught her the difference, unwittingly, over the years. They confiscate Vartox’s axe, and Kara watches them – paramilitary? Secret agents with the sense not to wear black suits? – _carefully._ Eventually, one approaches.

Kara almost flinches.

 _Almost_ shows her recognition.

“Supergirl, we are the Department of Extranormal Operations,” Alex says in a formal, blank voice. “If you would release Vartox into our custody and accompany us to our facility, we have some…questions for you.” The glint in her eyes and the slight pause tells Kara that Alex knows _exactly_ who she is.

They shared a dorm-room, after all.

Stepping in front of Vartox, Kara stares her down. “I would like to know your intentions towards Vartox, if that pleases you.”

“It doesn’t please me,” Alex mutters, before raising her voice again. “Vartox is a criminal who escaped his jailors. We simply wish to correct that.”

“And no alien experimentation?”

Alex gives her the stink-eye, “We aren’t savages, Supergirl. No. Though, obviously he’ll have to be on med care since you seem to have caused him harm.” Kara glances back at him. _He’s already healing._

“That sound alright to you? They won’t hurt you, passed popping those back into place,” Kara says softly. Vartox sneers, and she gracefully dodges a spit-wad. “Are we pretending we don’t know each other?” She aims it at Vartox, and he’s too angry to look confused at her question for Alex. She looks back after a second, meeting eyes with her college-friend, who nods only just enough for Kara to catch. “I’ll come with you, but I’d rather you not knock me out or anything with kryptonite, or an alternative, so…”

Alex flicks the safety on her semi-automatic, swinging it around so it drops against her back. “You can ride in the truck with me, and we can fill you in on more of the things the DEO likes to do.”

Kara beams. “Awesome.”

And she steps out of the way.

* * *

Kal-El visits her in National City.

It’s a lovely surprise, until he mentions that his friend, Jimmy Olsen, moved to National City recently. That he joined CatCo, and his boss is threatening to fire him should he not get an interview with Supergirl. Kal-El even says he’ll do the interview with her, if she’s nervous – and Kara is nervous. Obviously, she agrees to do the interview. Jimmy is Kal-El’s best friend, and Kara knows a lot of second-hand information about him. If Kal-El weren’t dedicated to Lois, or if Earth were a less binary planet, Kara might even try setting them up together as more than friends.

But Kara is very surprised indeed to find out that this boss of Jimmy’s? It’s Cat Grant. As in, Cat, Kara’s something-nearly-maybe-someone who she texts almost as much as she texts her Batbros.

“Good work, Olsen,” Cat grins at her as people crowd around behind her to look on Kara – on Supergirl. She’s sitting on one of Cat’s pristine couches, draped over it languidly. She’s trying to emulate, or maybe imitate Selina – Selina Kyle, otherwise known as Catwoman in Gotham City. Kara doesn’t know if she’s succeeding or not, but people are taking pictures behind Cat, so she must be doing something right.

Cat walks towards her, holding out her hand. Kara stands, shaking, and it’s then Cat notes the other caped crusader on her balcony.

“And Superman? I was hoping for you, but both? Lois will be steaming.”

Kara gives an apologetic look, before speaking in a slightly lower voice than usual, “Unfortunately, he’s here as moral support. I’ve never done an interview before – Batman says we aren’t allowed to talk to reporters.”

Cat’s eyes widen a touch, “And how does he have this authority over you? You’re Supergirl, are you not?”

Kara lets go of her hand, before sitting again, listening to Kal-El’s hurried whisper about recording the conversation.

“Don’t you want a recording device of some kind for this?”

“Yes. Yes, I do. Just one moment.” Cat turns, glaring at the people at her door. “I’m trying to get an exclusive with Supergirl, but I won’t be able to publish that exclusive if none of you get back to work. _Now._ ” The people hurry back to their places inside the bullpen at a faster rate than Kara has ever seen in Wayne Enterprises. _I should get them to work on that_ , Kara notes.

Cat goes to her desk, picking up her phone and getting what was probably a recording app up, placing it on the table. She recites the time and date, before clearing her throat.

“This is Cat Grant, and I am with the one and only…Supergirl. Hello.”

“Hello,” Kara smiles, leaning back in her seat. “How are you?”

“I am well, thank-you,” Cat smiles, and it’s different from the one Kara has seen when they’ve been out together – those had been ones of amusement, of enjoyment or hilarity. This is one of…

Well, Kara wants to say _awe_ , but it’s not the right word. Ambitious, maybe. _Hungry…_

“So, let’s start with the generals. Where are you from?”

Kara hums, “Well, I’m from Krypton, like Superman – I was one of the few survivors. When I came to Earth though, I made my home in Gotham.” Cat’s eyes gleam.

“You mentioned a little earlier that Batman forbade you from talking to reporters. Do you have connections to Batman and his associates?”

The Kryptonian grins, “I’d like to think I’m the _original_ associate. Before I moved to National City, I was the first Batgirl.” Cat looks like she’s found the gold at the end of the rainbow.

“So you have prior experience in being a superhero then.”

“Yes.”

“Magnificent,” Cat breathes, before a thrumming comes from her throat that normal humans wouldn’t be able to hear unless at close-range. Kara’s lip quirks. “So, I can assume that all of your powers are the same as the Man of Steel's? The flying, the super strength, the freezy breath thing?”

“Yes, but I have the advantage of having formal training in the art of crime-fighting and bad-guy disappearing. Batman did though, require that I not use some of the more distinctive powers, such as laser-vision and freeze-breath.”

“Oh, so you’re not up to his level yet?”

Kara hears Kal-El snigger and turns to send him a glare, muttering in Kryptonian that causes him to scrunch his nose up and look at her, not understanding. She rolls her eyes, looking back to Cat, exasperated.

“That’s not what I meant. I just don’t have as much…”

“Field-experience?” Cat supplies. Kara nods. “So, what _is_ your relationship with Superman? Are you brother and sister? Complete strangers? Husband and wife?”

Kara completely chokes at that, as does Kal-El, who accidentally kicks Cat’s balcony wall, denting it.

“No! No, no way, ugh, _never_. Kal-El’s my _cousin._ ”

Cat raises an eyebrow, before she catches sight of her balcony, expression becoming irritated. “You’d better be paying for that, Superman.”

Kal-El finishes sorting out his breathing, leaning over slightly towards the open doorway with a contrite expression. “My apologies. Send the bill to Jimmy, I’ll deal with it through him.” Cat _humphs_ , then turns back to Kara.

“So, _cousins_. The same age, I presume? Superman’s story dictates that he was a baby when he was sent away.”

Kara shakes her head at that, “He was born the day before Krypton exploded – but no, I’m actually older than him. There were some problems with my pod though, and I sort of…got stuck, for a couple of years. I got here in two thousand, physically aged, uh…” she thinks back to what Bruce says, every time her age is brought up, but purses her lips. “I was twelve. On Krypton, at least. I’d aged around a year inside my pod though, so I was thirteen when I arrived. Kal-El was, like, eighteen? Is that right?” She glances at him. He nods. “Yes, so, he was still in school, and I didn’t meet him until a year or two after I became Batgirl, actually.”

“Lovely.” Cat nods back, placing her hands on her lap. “So, you were Batgirl – though there’s another Batgirl who’s been around the block. How long has she been covering for you?”

“Excuse me?”

Cat drawls, “Well, everyone noticed that Batgirl changed frequently. Height, build, abilities. The new Batgirl doesn’t have hover-boots – though, now that you’ve revealed yourself to be the original Batgirl, I’d assume that they were just fancy lights and your alien flight.” Kara nods slowly. “So, people noticed your disappearance, so that leaves some years unaccounted for.”

“ _Just tell her you were in school, Kara_ ,” Kal-El murmurs. Kara doesn’t look back at him, or let a panicked look take over her face. Instead, she speaks to Cat again.

“I do have a normal life outside of being a superhero. Before becoming Supergirl, I was…somewhere too far away from Gotham to safely be Batgirl. Very west of the east coast. My dad- uh, oh shit…” she mutters, cringing.

“Your father?” Cat frowns lightly. “You know, I never quite considered it before. You were twelve – thirteen, when you landed. Superman was a baby. You both have families who care for you.” She looks between them. “That won’t go in the article. I’ll even rehash some parts about your ages, go the vague route. Your civilian identities are not things to be trifled with.”

“Thank-you,” Kal-El steps inside finally, putting a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “You’re a lot less…cold, than Lois described.”

Cat purses her lips, “Lois and I have a history that dabbles in many areas of our relationship. It just so happens that I left _The Daily Planet_ and Lois behind on undecided terms, that became more…toxic than undecided as the years went by and _The Tribune_ grew. Lois should learn not to involve others in our affairs.” Then she squints at Kal-El, staring, before letting out a huff of breath. “Oh, I should have known.” She stands, coming around and putting her finger to his chest, poking him. “Glasses. Are. Not. A. Disguise.”

Kara and Kal-El stare at her, wide-eyed. Cat glares balefully at Kal-El.

“Uh…”

“Kent. Get a better disguise.”

Kal-El stutters out a “Yes ma’am” before Cat twirls to face Kara, glare disappearing as she looks down on her.

“At least _you_ have a mask. Thank-you for your time, Supergirl.”

Kara bites her lip, flushing, “Your welcome, Ms Grant.”

Cat smirks.

“Call me Cat.”

* * *

Things continue. Supergirl saves the day, works with the DEO to retrieve Fort Rozz prisoners, and makes National City love her more, piece by piece. Kara Wayne works at the National City branch of Wayne Enterprises, which – without her timely arrival – would have been shut down due to Maxwell Lord’s rising power in the silver city, and she works her butt off to make it better, more efficient – better than Lord Technologies.

Meanwhile, ‘Keira Danvers’ goes to dinner with Cat Grant on the regular, and she gets to learn more about the astoundingly brilliant woman who saved her from a dance with her former boss.

It’s after one of these dinners, on her way back to her penthouse via motorcycle, that she hears a familiar heart-beat. _Alex_. Grinning, Kara changes her course, following the sound, but quickly becoming concerned as she’s led – not to an apartment building, or take-out that Alex undoubtedly visits regularly, but towards seventy-something and Washington. Not a food district, or anywhere Alex would need to be.

Parking her bike and tucking it away under a handy tarp, Kara changes into her supersuit, flying up into the air and quickly using her x-ray vision to locate Alex…who, as it turns out, is being held captive.

Flying down, Kara lets her instincts take over, hiding in the shadows and slowing her heart-beat, before journeying into the warehouse. What greets her breaks her heart.

“Aunt Astra?”

Astra’s head snaps up in her direction, their eyes meeting, before Astra makes a face of confusion. Kara flies down, going to Alex and helping her up, matching Astra’s face of confusion.

“Aunt Astra, how are you alive? You…you were on Krypton when it exploded.”

“Little one…no, I wasn’t on Krypton. I was on Fort Rozz. Did your mother not tell you? How she sent me away? Banished her own blood? Imprisoned me for speaking the truth while she told only lies?”

Kara is so confused, so, so confused. “But why did she send you to Fort Rozz?”

Astra stands proud, eyes burning with a fire she’d never seen before. Alex takes her hand. “For being a hero. For trying to save our world.”

“Nothing could save our world, Aunt Astra,” Kara shuts her eyes, squeezes them tight, remembering so many things. She remembers how Astra would teach her the names of all the stars, and how Alfred would teach them to her too, on top of Wayne Manor, whispering, _Leo, Orion_ , and many more things – amongst them, his bare-boned truths.

She repeats those truths now.

“Nothing could save our world, Aunt Astra. It was already too late – far, _far_ too late. I do not know what you did, or have done, but this is my friend.” Kara looks to Alex, who seems to want to do more than talk. “I need to get her out of here.”

“She is brave,” Astra mutters, “But your alliance with the humans is misplaced. Do not stand against me. I let one planet die, I will not do so again.”

Kara groans quietly, “Aunt Astra, I do not want to side with anyone! The humans- this planet belongs to the humans, and they are learning more every day. We are great powers, and we need to be responsible about how we use these gifts. Aunt Astra,” she does not know what to say, she does not know anything that she _can_ say.

“Little one, come with me, please.”

“Come with _us_ ,” Alex speaks again, finally. Kara looks to her friend, blessing her existence. “You say you want to save our planet? Well we can help you get people to listen. But you’ve got to, well, I don’t know, maybe not _kidnap_ them, for starters,” her sarcasm is a breath of fresh air for Kara, who laughs and presses her head to her neck. Alex hugs her tightly, still looking at Astra, who doesn’t look convinced. “What’s your end-goal?”

“To…save this planet.” Astra’s brow furrows. Alex nods, wide-eyed.

“Yeah, you already said that. Elaborate. Why do you want to save this planet?”

“You are killing your environment,” Astra says in a stark voice, and all of a sudden Kara lets out a laugh. “What do you find humorous, Little one?”

Kara looks to Alex. “Ally, she’s an eco-terrorist.” Alex seems slightly disturbed at Kara’s oh-so-apt analysis. Kara unwraps herself from Alex, taking a step towards Astra, holding out her hand. “Aunt Astra, there are so many people on this planet who have the same views you do. But the only way you’ll save this planet is either by wiping out another race, or by convincing them that it’s in their best interests.”

Astra purses her lips. “When did you become so cleverly-spoken, little one?”

Kara gives her a cheeky grin. “When I was adopted by Bruce Wayne.”

* * *

Astra goes with Alex, in the end, and Kara is left to gather her motorbike and leave, changing out of her costume as she does so. Astra will go to the DEO, and in the next few weeks, with her info they’ll bring in the rest of the Fort Rozz inmates, reviewing each of their cases, turn by turn. Kara continues to be two – three – people, and manages to balance it all, to her family’s disbelief.

Of course, there are a few hiccoughs, like Livewire, and Bizarro – Maxwell Lord turns out to be her worst enemy, in most cases. He even managed to mess up her first meeting with Carter, who was supposed to go on the bullet-train with her, the bomb fiasco causing her to be late and miss it as she removes the airport bomb at a speed which astounds Alex, and before she then hurries to the train to deal with the suicide bomber.

Cat is so angry at her for _leaving him alone_ , and _not being there_. She doesn’t reply to her texts for an entire week.

Luckily, she has a lot of things to do during that week to take her mind off of things, including dealing with the unannounced visit from her father to the branch of Wayne Enterprises she ran, which includes him and Damian crashing in her penthouse for three days, and also joining the DEO in the capture of Non, who openly defies Astra’s new plans and wishes to continue their old, murder-laden scheme.

Cat and Kara reconcile, thankfully, and more good things happened, such as Astra slapping Non for all he was worth, and the DEO getting enough evidence on Maxwell Lord to imprison him from here till he was old and grey. Kara even gets the chance to meet Carter again – not that either of them knew she’d already met him on the bullet train – and they go to an exhibition at the local museum and observatory. Carter likes science just as much as Kara does, so they both enjoy it, and it surprises and shames Kara to be reminded, by Cat herself, that Cat exists, having talked with Carter for an absurdly long time about space-travel.

(Kara doesn’t remember to speak in an objective manner, and – not that she knows – Carter figures it all out, because unlike his mother, he knows _exactly_ who ‘Keira Danvers’ really is, and once you connect brilliant, genius, basically-every-resident-of-Gotham-who-isn’t-important-or-evil-knows-she’s-Batgirl, Kara Wayne to Supergirl? It’s all rather easy to realise.)

And, predictably, that’s when everything goes to _shit._

* * *

Maybe being more specific would be helpful, in this circumstance. So, saying that everything goes to shit is an exaggeration – but at the same time, not. National City is good, and Kara spends her days and nights running her branch of Wayne Enterprises, wooing Cat, amusing Carter and doing her daily patrols as Supergirl.

Gotham, however, is a lot darker than before.

It starts with Jason going missing. Having just fought with Bruce, it doesn’t worry the Wayne family as much as it does two weeks later, when he has not yet surfaced – not even Robin, a position he didn’t take lightly in the slightest. A month after he disappears, the Joker and Harley Quinn throw a Batsuit to the ground, covered in neon spray-paint, and raise the yellow Robin cape like a flag.

_HAHAHA_

_JOKE’S_

_ON YOU_

_BATMAN_

The cape is soaked in red.

Kara is distraught, and heads back to Gotham without any thought. She wears her Supergirl costume and screams as she joins her father and brothers and sister, red lasers shooting from her eyes to where Harley Quinn stood, the woman barely avoiding being charred to a cinder. National City rallies behind her – behind Gotham, helping fund their police force, and donating to the fund Bruce Wayne had set up, dedicated to repairing the damages done by villains and by heroes trying to defeat villains. The story goes viral, all over America, about how the beloved Robin was killed by the infamous Clown Prince of Crime, and how the Bats were out for blood.

War rages in Gotham, and no-one stops them.

* * *

“Kara,” Carter run to her and hugs her tightly as she enters the office, loosening his grip at her wince. “Kara, are you alright?” Her arm is in a sling, and – not that they can see – bandages wrap her torso from a spray of bullets that her weakened powers hadn’t been able to completely heal after expelling them, and she fell from the sky. Everyone had seen it.

Kara’s smile flickers as she tries to bring it to her face, “Not really, but I’ll be okay soon.”

“I’m sorry about your brother.”

(Carter knows, no-one knows he knows, and if Keira is Kara, and Kara is Supergirl, then it’s no hard task to assume that the late Jason Todd was Robin.)

Her eyes shine slightly, before she rubs them and presses a kiss to his forehead.

“Thank-you.”

“Kara,” Cat calls from her office, pinning her with a worried expression, “Come to the balcony.” She gets up from her throne, and the trio make their way to her balcony, whereupon Cat wraps her arms around her, pulling the grief-stricken alien into her hold. “Oh, Kara…has there been a funeral yet?” A shake of her head. “Would you like us to attend with you?”

“Would you?”

“Of course.”

* * *

(Cat always knew she was Kara Wayne – and like her son, but with nearly forty years more experience, she had understood what burden Kara bore early on in her charade. She needed no explanation or heartfelt apology for secrets she knew had to be kept, lest Kara’s world come tumbling down around her.)

* * *

Despite the atmosphere surrounding Gotham, despite the blood literally running through the streets, and the buildings that had fallen in the war against the Joker and those that called themselves his allies, the press still found the energy to gossip about Cat and Carter’s appearance at Jason Todd’s funeral – and unlike the other papers in National City, they didn’t care to call them ‘gal pals’ in their speculations.

Suddenly in National City, there are cameras everywhere, and Kara can’t escape it. Questions are shouted at her as she leaves her building, and when she’s entering and leaving work. Cat says apology after apology when they get a chance to lay in silence under her covers, and while Kara may not want them, she still gets them.

“We just need to get ahead of it, and they’ll stop,” Kara tries to console, cringing. “Isn’t that what you always say?”

Cat grimaces, nodding, “I know, darling, but there is only one reporter, one newspaper that would have that much power…”

* * *

“She actually can write pretty well,” Carter notes as he reads his first – and last, if Cat has any power over it – copy of _The Daily Planet_. Cat scoffs, and Kara tries to hide her smile at the mention of her cousin-in-law.

“Never say anything like that about Lois Lane in my presence ever again. Or ever, even.”

“Sure, mom. Ma, pass the pancakes?”

* * *

 _That_ title makes Kara grin and grin until her mouth hurts from the happiness in it. _Ma._ And then she insists on visiting her dad in Gotham – a grandchild would cheer him up. Jason’s death, Barbara’s spinal injury and now Talia al Ghul’s reclaiming of their son has left him all alone in Wayne Manor. Cat claims she can’t go, but Kara is welcome to take Carter on a trip to see him.

As she thought, Bruce cheered up a lot at the prospect of having a nearly-pseudo-maybe grandchild to dote on. She hated taking him away, but hopefully Damian would return soon – or at least, he could get a new Robin.

Her father always had a knack for picking up orphans in need, with strangely high abilities to use for the better good of Gotham City.

* * *

Kara is in her branch, in the middle of a short conference with a stack of reporters wanting to know what direction Wayne Enterprises was heading in National City, three steps higher than everyone else, when she catches the dagger heading straight at her face. Freezing, Kara’s eyes search for the thrower, as someone screams – but they’re elusive, and Kara risks using x-ray vision to find the person, who turns out to have nearly another four dozen throwing knives on her.

And it’s _definitely_ a her.

A short while later, Kara is in nearly the exact same position in her branch when the _she_ appears again – right behind her in fact. The woman attempts to snap her neck, but Kara is still an alien, and it hurts her more than it hurts Kara, who turns around and begins to disable her, only to find her attacks matched.

It continues.

And continues.

Until someone has the bright idea to stop their recording of it, upload it to the internet with a ‘HELP! AN ASSASSIN’S TRYING TO KILL MY BOSS!’ before beginning another recording. The DEO shows up, knocking the woman out from behind using tranquilisers strong enough to knock out an elephant, and the internet is on fire, wondering when Kara Wayne became a martial-arts master.

* * *

“ _Her name is Cassandra…I’ll be looking after her._ ”

Kara splutters into the phone as Bruce hangs up, attracting Carter’s attention from where he sits beside her watching Star Wars.

“What did he say?”

“The assassin is your new aunt,” Kara replies without thinking, putting her phone away as she sat there in shock – only coming out of it when Cat drops a plate as Carter repeats what she said to his mother’s face.

* * *

Katherine Grant stares her down at the fourth of July party she’s invited to, at Kara’s request. Less than ten feet away, Cat watches on with Carter and Damian – who has been visiting Wayne Manor randomly since Cass’ admittance to the family, his mother occasionally accompanying him, to Bruce’s consternation – champagne glass in her hand close to cracking at her strong grip.

“Kara Wayne,” Katherine says stiffly, unblinking as she hold her own glass of champagne delicately, in complete opposition to her daughter. “You know, I could be in Los Angeles with various other high-profile characters, but I chose to come here.”

“We’re happy to have you, ma’am,” Kara says smoothly, before unexpectedly choking as she catches sight of her cousin and- “Lois!” She squeals, rushing over and wrapping her arms around the reporters neck, causing the red-head to stumble slightly before Kal-El offers a hand on her back. “I didn’t know you were actually coming!”

Both Cat and Katherine slink over at that comment, while Lois untangles herself.

“I haven’t spent much time with you lately, even with that article you and Grant had me write.”

“Darling,” Cat interrupts, “Why is Lane here?”

“Yes, I would like to know, too,” Katherine adds, before Kara moves to hug Kal-El tighter and longer.

Lois speaks at that, “Mrs Grant, it’s been a while,” she smirks and Kara wonders why, as Katherine actually glares at full intensity. “But to answer your question, Clark is Kara’s biological cousin – and I’m his wife, so when he’s invited to something on the fourth of July, I’m tagging along.”

Kara laughs.

Cat purses her lips.

Katherine raises an eyebrow.

“Kitty, I didn’t know you still associated with…Mrs Kent, is it now?”

Lois smirks. “Ms Lane.”

“Ms Lane…” Katherine looks to Cat, who refuses to look at her as Kara frowns.

“They don’t, Mrs Grant. It’s just a coincidence – Clark and I don’t meet up often.”

“Understatement of the year,” Kal-El adds, ruffling her head. Kara reacts by ruffling his, ruining his perfect hair. “Hey!”

“You started it,” Kara teases, before Carter slips over, putting an arm around her waist in a half-hug. “Oh, Carter, you’ve met Clark right?” Carter and Kal-El size each other up, Carter barely keeping a star-struck look off his face, before Kal-El sticks out a hand.

“Good to meet you, Mr Grant.” He stands up straight, while Carter lights up, shaking enthusiastically.

“Can you take me flying? Kara won’t.”

“Carter!” Half the group exclaims.

Katherine’s other eyebrow rises.

“Flying?”

* * *

…which is how Katherine Grant meets Supergirl.


End file.
